Telum caught up with Martha Siallagan from Siemens as she shared social media strategy for B2B companies and automation in the comms sector.

Apart from leading internal and external communications strategies for Siemens Indonesia, you’re also managing digital and social media strategies and content for Siemens Energy in Asia Pacific. Do you think social media presence is important for B2B companies? Any platform that is essential?
I think in today’s social media-saturated environment, B2B companies need to jump on the social media bandwagon because it is more likely than not, bringing huge value to add benefits. However, like any other marketing channel out there, social media is still not without its own set of growing pains. Therefore, B2B companies must come in prepared and have someone who is a social media ninja. Why? Because B2B social media is a hard nut to crack, it takes a social media expert to unleash the hidden power of B2B in social media.

There is no one-size-fits-all method when deciding on which social media channels to use. What B2B companies can do is take a giant step backwards and assess the social media landscape as it relates to their market, their audiences, and their competitors. For Siemens Indonesia and Siemens Energy, we are focused and present on at least three social channels, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. These social channels, not only help us to acquire new customers and empower followers but also become brand aficionados.

What are some of the comms trends that you are currently eyeing?
If 2021 taught me anything, it is to expect the unexpected. Everything is rapidly changing, including communications. Nowadays, the list of trends and technologies that shape communications is getting longer, but the basics of successful communications remain the same which is to understand the needs of our audience and communicate with them clearly and consistently across all communications channels.

For Siemens, customer-focused content has always been the best way to establish solid relationships with our audience. So, it goes without saying that this type of communication will be our approach to dominating the digital marketing and communications landscape.

Digitalising the industry in emerging markets sure has its benefits but it will also have some risks including with the workers. How do you educate your market to anticipate those risks?
Every disruptive innovation always led to absolute fear of unemployment. This fear inevitably provoked significant resistance among the working class. In Siemens, we believe that transformation is not only about the new technologies; it needs to be inclusive by upskilling and reskilling the human resources.

The approach we take to unlock the full potential is by putting people in the first place and engaging employees from the very start. Communication is the key to winning over the sceptics. So, for us to have this successful communication, it takes an ongoing dialogue using various channels, addressing different stakeholders.

Automation is always a prevalent topic in the manufacturing industry, do you ever think that comms professionals will also be subject to automation? Why?
To further reiterate the previous statement, we as communications professionals are also inevitably subject to automation. Nevertheless, we need to have a forward-thinking mindset that AI and automation technologies are present to work with us rather than against us.

Automation plays an important role in our daily work as communications professionals in Siemens. These technologies are enabling us to have better conversations, better understanding, and better insights for decision-making. We believe that automation technologies are not here to take over, but they help us to hone our skills and enhance our communications efforts so we can reach our audiences in the most effective way possible.

You have been in agencies before moving to an in-house role. Do you have any tips on doing comms for B2B industry?
In the short span of my four-year career at Siemens, the transition from agency to in-house brings many valuable lessons, some of which I am still learning. There are two things, the first one is to have a good online presence. In this digital, modern world, working hard to grow your online presence is no longer a want but a need.

The second one is patience. B2B communication is not a sprint, but a marathon. It is a process that does not happen overnight. You should keep in mind that when you set your goals, you need to allow your communications strategy the necessary time window to achieve the desired effect.